Steel Chokes

Personally I find that my full chokes are not as deadly as modified with steel. The full chokes tend over constrict and not pattern as well.

I've always used 'one less' choke when using steel vs. lead.
 
I tried my full steel last night, and the pattern was awesome to about 30 yrds. After that it seemed to be awful. I modified stayed good out to about 40 yrds. I couldn't understand it. Nice and tight to about 30 and then gone to crap.

I then tried lead. And the full choke was as it should be.

Although they are steel chokes, the steel shot just doesn't do well form the full choke for me
 
Maybe fork out the cash and try a IM. i think steel rated means that you won't break the choke, but the pattern would suffer.
 
Full choke constricts the pellets too much and steel doesn't give. So the pellets bounce off of each other like ping pong balls upon exiting the barrel "blowing" the pattern wide open. Modified has much less constriction and therefore the pattern holds longer.

Some of the extended after market steel chokes have very tight chokes but very gradual constriction so that the ping pong effect isn't as noticeable. They cost $100 or more though.

I only ever use factory modified with Improved cylinder in a pocket for the days that they are landing on my head.
 
Rem Chokes

If your using a Rem choke "listed" as Full for steel, use it with caution. I had mine come apart in my 870 Express 3". Most other mfgs list more than one Full choke. One being Full for lead and another usually listed as Full for steel and Modified for lead. Remington's Full for steel or lead is just too tight, Ok for #6, #4 or #2 but BB are another thing.
 
I am using an aftermarket, extended full for Steel, with #3 shot and it is everywhere after 30 yrds, and I mean everywhere.

With kent #5's it's better.

Last year I used Kent #5 with an inproved modified and was very pleased.
However I use a differnt semi auto each fall, and this year the chokes I have are Modified extended or Full extended, both state for steel.

Last night I shot at a duck coming straight in at about 40 yrds over head.
3 shots and nothing. I wasn't pleased. 10 minutes later at about 25 yrds high, another duck did the same thing and with the first shot he was dead in the air. After noticing this pattern, I patterned the gun again, and sure enough, the full choke wasn't extending my range at all
 
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